Barlow doesn't think Lyon will coach again

Fremantle chairman Dale Alcock has thrown down the gauntlet to the players, demanding they spend the off-season discovering what they need to do to make the club successful again after the decision to sack Ross Lyon last week.

Interim coach David Hale oversaw a 43-point loss at Adelaide Oval yesterday and the players fell away dramatically after quarter-time.

The Dockers finished the year 13th with nine wins and a percentage of 91.9 — one spot, one win and 15.7 per cent better than last season.

But Alcock said the board expected more and everyone had to attack the pre-season with vigour.

“We want to be a powerhouse in the AFL. That’s what we’re focused on,” Alcock said.

“We’ve got a process going through for senior coach and CEO of the organisation. But the players have got to harden up, too, and they have to be elite. We’ve got to be elite all the way through.

“In the off-season one of the things I’d be suggesting to the playing group is they’ve got to have their own quiet time and think about who they want to be at this football club.”

Hale conceded the lack of skills which have plagued the team all season were a huge factor yesterday. The Dockers managed only one inside 50 during the third quarter as the pressure mounted.

Carlton, St Kilda and North Melbourne saw immediate results after changing their coach this season but Alcock said

Fremantle’s circumstances made it difficult for the players to produce their best.

“Absolutely this will have had an impact,” Alcock said. “It’s not as though we’ve stepped in with an interim coach who is there and ready to go. We asked David to do this for one game.

“That has to be kept in context.

“It couldn’t be worse for us that this happened this week and then we had to get on the road and get to Port Adelaide. It may have been easier if it were a home game.”

Football operations manager Peter Bell will conduct exit interviews this week and is expected to hear from midfielders Ed Langdon and Brad Hill about their futures. Both are expected to ask for a trade.

Hale, who is contracted for next year, said he would consider whether he wanted to chase a senior job this week.